(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to safely handling and permanent storage of toxic waste, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a process of using an absorbent material such as asbestos, rock wool and the like for absorbing toxic waste and compacting and encapsulating the mixture in solid stackable waste cubes.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore there have been a variety of different processes, methods and apparatus for treating liquid and solid radioactive waste as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,163 to Ross, U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,508 to Conner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,184 to Fougeron et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,564 to Barlou et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,063,001 to Miyao et al.
Also, various types of processes and apparatus have disclosed as to the drying, coating, solidifying and encapsulating of heavy metals and radioactive waste as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,233 to Sheeline , U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,922 to Puthawala et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,587 to Monden et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,944 and 4,821,653 to Jones and U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,914 to Jackson. None of the above mentioned patents disclose or teach the unique features of the subject process wherein minerals such as asbestos, rock wool and the like are used to combine with toxic waste as an agglomerate to be compacted into a stackable solid waste cube.